eBay Helps First Firefox OS Phone Sell Out in U.S., U.K.

By: eBay Inc. Staff

The world’s first Firefox OS-powered smartphone, the ZTE Open, sold out on eBay in the U.S. and U.K. only three days after its launch.

The Chinese brand attracted significant attention from the mobile industry earlier this year when previewed at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. ZTE, the fourth-largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world, later announced the device would be sold exclusively on eBay.

Promoted through eBay’s blog and social channels by the global marketing and PR teams, 1,000 smartphones were purchased in the U.S. on the first day and 920 were sold in the U.K. in just two days.

“The speed with which the ZTE Open sold out showed the power and value of eBay as a platform for Chinese brands to reach global consumers,” said Dandan Cheng, director of Greater China cross-border trade. “And we’re dedicated to bringing more great Chinese brands onto eBay’s marketplaces.”

The entry-level smartphone boasts attractive features such as a single-core 1GHz processor, open and free Firefox OS mobile platform, GPS and Bluetooth functionality, sleek design and a considerably lower price than rival handsets.

“It’s a win-win relationship,” he said. “ZTE is able to reach eBay’s 120 million global customers and steadily expand its business around the world. The fact the ZTE Open sold out in just three days in the U.S. and U.K. proves eBay’s position as a leading commerce partner for major Chinese brands wanting to reach buyers around the world.”

The next batch of ZTE Firefox OS phones will be landing on eBay U.S. and U.K. in mid-September.